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 Serbiaportal |
Local elections will be held in most cities and municipalities in Serbia (excluding the disputed territory of Kosovo) on 2 June 2024.
Initially, the Serbian government planned to hold a local election only for the City Assembly of Belgrade on 2 June, with the other local elections taking place later in the year. The Belgrade vote was required due to the city assembly's failure to constitute itself after the 2023 Belgrade City Assembly election, while the other elections were scheduled to take place in accordance with Serbia's regular local electoral cycle. Ana Brnabić, the president of the national assembly, contended that holding all local elections on 2 June would require a change in Serbia's law on local elections and would unfairly restrict the mandate of those elected in the last regular local election cycle in 2020. [1] Following extended controversy, however, the law was amended on 23 April and local elections were announced for various cities and municipalities on 26 April.
Serbia's governing Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) and its allies will be participating fully in the elections. The opposition parties are divided on their strategy. Among the parties of the Serbia Against Violence (SPN) coalition, the Party of Freedom and Justice (SSP), Serbia Centre (SRCE), and Together (Zajedno) have announced a boycott in most jurisdictions, stating that no adequate guarantees have been provided that the elections will be free and fair and that there is insufficient time for the situation to change.
As against this, the People's Movement of Serbia (NPS), the Green–Left Front (ZLF), the Movement of Free Citizens (PSG), Ecological Uprising (EU), and the New Face of Serbia (NLS) have indicated will participate in the vote. Although the Democratic Party (DS) voted in favour of a boycott, it also decided to adopt the position of the majority of the opposition parties, and on that basis it will be participating in the election as well. Outside the SPN coalition, the parties of the National Democratic Alliance (NADA) alliance will be boycotting the elections in most jurisdictions. [2] [3] Other opposition parties, including Dveri, will be participating. [4]
On 26 April 2024, SSP leader Dragan Đilas said that although his party would be boycotting the election in most jurisdictions, it would not discourage Serbian citizens from voting. [5]
With the exception of Belgrade, the cities and municipalities of Serbia that held off-year local elections in 2021, 2022, and 2023 will not be participating in the 2024 vote.
All local elections in Serbia are held under proportional representation. Mayors are not directly elected but are instead chosen by elected members of the local assemblies. The electoral threshold for assembly representation is three per cent (of all votes, not only of valid votes), although parties representing national minority communities are exempt from this requirement.
